Switzerland is opening the taps on Lake Lugano to help prop up Lake Maggiore. It is an emergency solution that, more than any set of figures, shows how sensitive the water situation in northern Italy has become: more water will be released from the Ceresio towards Ponte Tresa, with the aim of supporting the level of Lake Maggiore and, above all, guaranteeing supplies for the rice fields on the plain.
The discharge will rise from the current 3 to 8 cubic metres per second. The two lakes are connected and a significant share of the extra water will flow into Lake Maggiore.
The measure was discussed within the Italian-Swiss Bilateral Consultation Body on the regulation of Lake Maggiore's levels and the management of water resources in its basin, convened urgently by the Ministry of the Environment on the basis of data from the Po River Basin Authority. The Italian delegation, made up of representatives of the ministry and the Lombardy and Piedmont regional authorities, accepted the Swiss proposal, which could be implemented as early as today.
Switzerland's help and the 'short blanket' problem
The decision taken by Canton Ticino is temporary and will be reassessed in the coming days, but its significance goes well beyond this one-off intervention. The underlying problem is that the available water is no longer sufficient to meet all needs at the same time.
